ROBOT ENDEFFECTOR STATE - GRIPPER TIMING

Abstract

A method and system for proactively monitoring the health of a robot end effector based on the timing of its response to gripping commands. A part presence sensor or other sensor provides a signal when a robot tool successfully grips or releases a workpiece. The time between each grip or release command and its execution is recorded by the robot controller. Timing data for all robots in a facility is collected by a data collection device and forwarded to an analytical data center, where the timing data for each end effector is analyzed. Alerts are sent to inform of problems detected with grippers when gripping times exceed a threshold or a deterioration trend in gripping timing is detected, and all analytical data is made available to a web portal for customer viewing and editing.The response timing of other types of end effectors besides grippers can be analyzed in a similar way for the purpose of proactive repair or replacement of the tools.

Description

STATE OF THE ARTTechnical field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to the field of performance of grippers of industrial robots, and more particularly to a method and system for proactively monitoring the condition of a robot end effector based on the timing of response to gripping commands, wherein the timing data is collected and analyzed for each end effector and alerts are sent recommending the performance of preventive maintenance on grippers when gripping times exceed a threshold or a deterioration trend in gripping timing is detected. Discussion of related technology

[0002] The use of industrial robots to perform a wide range of manufacturing, assembly, and material handling activities is well known. Many activities performed by industrial robots require the use of a gripper to grasp a part and move the part from one position or orientation to another. These grippers, which belong to a large family of devices commonly known as end effectors, can be designed as suction cup grippers, mechanical finger grippers, or servo-controlled grippers, among others.

[0003] Like any other type of mechanical component, end effectors are subject to wear and tear, which can lead to degraded performance and / or complete failure. Until now, it has been common practice to simply replace grippers when they fail—for example, when they fail to pick up or release parts due to a broken or blocked mechanical component or a leak in a vacuum line or suction cup. Unfortunately, end effector failures require production to be halted to repair or replace the failed device.This equipment downtime is costly to the robot operator due to lost production time, and repair or replacement may require parts or maintenance technicians that are not immediately available, further extending the downtime and / or requiring expedited parts deliveries, overtime, etc.

[0004] Given the circumstances described above, there is a need for a method for monitoring the condition of robot end-effectors that can proactively detect deterioration in gripper performance and enable preventive maintenance to be performed before end-effector failure leads to shutdown of the production line. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0005] According to the teachings of the present disclosure, a method and system are disclosed for proactively monitoring the condition of a robot end effector based on the timing of the response to grasp commands. A part presence sensor, such as a light barrier, vacuum switch, or other type of sensor, provides a signal when a robot end effector successfully grasps or releases a workpiece. The time between each grasp or release command and its execution is recorded by the robot controller. Timing data for all robots in a facility is collected by a data collection device and forwarded to an analytical data center, where the timing data for each end effector is analyzed.Alerts are sent to inform about problems detected in grippers when gripping times exceed a threshold or a deterioration trend in gripping time behavior is detected. All analytical data is made available to a web portal for customer viewing and editing. Response timing for other types of end effectors besides grippers can be analyzed in a similar way for the purpose of proactive repair or replacement of tools. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Fig. Figure 1 is a diagram of an industrial robot equipped with a mechanical gripper type end effector; Fig. Figure 2 is a diagram of an industrial robot equipped with a suction cup type end effector; Fig. 3 is an illustration of a vacuum gripping tool including a suction cup grid that can be used as a robotic end effector; Fig. 4 is an illustration of a system for proactively monitoring the state of robot end effectors based on the timing of response to grasp commands, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure; Fig. 5 is a flowchart of a method for proactively monitoring the state of robot end effectors based on the timing of response to grasp commands, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure; and Fig. 6 is a flowchart of a method for detecting robot end-effector health issues based on analysis of response timing data to grasp commands, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

[0006] The following discussion of embodiments of the disclosure relating to monitoring the state of robot end effectors based on gripper timing is merely exemplary in nature and is not intended to limit the disclosed devices and methods or their applications or uses in any way.

[0007] The use of industrial robots for a variety of manufacturing, assembly, and material handling activities is well known. Many activities performed by industrial robots require the use of a gripper to grasp a part and move the part from one position and orientation to another. These grippers can be designed as suction cup grippers, mechanical finger grippers, or servo-controlled grippers, among others. Grippers are a type of end effector that can be attached to the end of an external robot arm, usually at the end of a wrist.

[0008] Fig. Figure 1 is a diagram of an industrial robot equipped with a mechanical gripper-type end effector. A robot 100 is controlled by a controller 110 to perform an operation in a manner known in the art. The controller 110 communicates with the robot 100 via a cable 112. Fig. 1, the robot 100 is equipped with a mechanical finger gripper 120, which is used to pick up a part or workpiece 130 from a starting position and pose and to place the workpiece 130 at a target position in a target pose. The starting position can be, for example, on a conveyor and the final position in a shipping container.

[0009] The mechanical finger gripper 120 may have two or more gripper fingers depending on the application and the type of workpiece 130 to be gripped. The mechanical finger gripper 120 typically includes a simple (e.g., pneumatic) actuator to move the fingers of the gripper 120 to an open or closed position. A part presence sensor 122 is used to detect the presence or absence of a part in the gripper. Another type of gripper—known as a servo-controlled gripper—also has mechanical fingers, but a servo motor is used to open and close the fingers. The servo motor can be precisely controlled to adjust the opening width and gripping pressure of the fingers. In the case of servo-controlled grippers, torque sensors or encoders can serve as part presence sensors.

[0010] Fig. Figure 2 is a diagram of an industrial robot equipped with a suction cup type end effector. A robot 200 includes a base frame 202 and an outer arm 204. Other arms of the robot 200 are out of view and are Fig. 2 not shown. The end effector on the robot 200 is a single suction cup gripper 210, as shown. The robot controller and the workpiece are in Fig. 2 is omitted for simplicity. In some applications, the single suction cup gripper 210 is the finger gripper 120 of Fig. 1, such as when the workpieces have one or more flat surfaces suitable for suction gripping, and when the workpieces are initially piled in a container such that a finger gripper attempting to grip a part would likely collide with other parts in the pile. The single suction cup gripper 210 is connected to a vacuum source by a vacuum line (not shown) and is activated by applying a vacuum "push" (i.e., a partial vacuum causing a negative gauge pressure) when the suction cup gripper 210 is placed on the workpiece. Typically, suction cup grippers utilize a vacuum switch as a part presence sensor.

[0011] Fig. 3 is an illustration of a vacuum gripping tool including a suction cup grid that can be used as a robotic end effector. A vacuum gripping tool 300 includes a plurality of suction cups 302 arranged in a pattern. The pattern on the vacuum gripping tool 300 is a rectangular 6x8 grid, but other pattern sizes and shapes, such as circular, can be used. The vacuum gripping tool 300 is typically used to pick up large objects with flat surfaces, particularly boxes, but also other types of workpieces. The pattern of suction cups 302 can be divided into a plurality of zones, such as the zones 310, 312, and 314 shown. Each of the zones 310, 312, and 314 can be connected to the vacuum source by its own vacuum line. For this reason, with the vacuum gripping tool 300, it is desirable and possible to diagnose gripper performance problems zone by zone.This topic is discussed further below.

[0012] Many other designs of suction cup gripping tools are also available, including rigid arms with multiple suction cups on each arm and various shapes and sizes of suction cup grids. Most of these designs provide a physical and logical division into zones, with each zone capable of being supplied by its own separate vacuum line.

[0013] Like any other mechanical component, grippers such as the Mechanical Finger Gripper 120, the Single Suction Cup Gripper 210, and the Vacuum Gripping Tool 300 are subject to wear and tear, which can lead to degraded performance and / or complete failure. Until now, it has been common practice to simply replace grippers when they fail—for example, when they fail to pick up or release parts due to a broken or blocked mechanical component or a leak in a vacuum line or suction cup. Unfortunately, gripper failures require production to be stopped to repair or replace the failed device. This downtime is costly to the robot operator due to lost production time.The methods of the present disclosure are designed to enable proactive monitoring of gripper health and, when necessary, performing preventative maintenance to prevent gripper failure. In one embodiment, gripper health is assessed by analyzing the time it takes for a gripper to respond to a grip or release command.

[0014] The time it takes for a gripper to respond to a grip or release command is called the grip or release response time, and collectively, this is known as gripper timing data. The grip response time can be described as the time that elapses between the robot controller issuing a "grip" command signal and the confirmation that the gripping task has been completed. In other words, the grip timer starts when the grip command is issued, and the timer stops when the grip is confirmed. Similarly, the release response time can be described as the time that elapses between the robot controller issuing a "release" command signal and the confirmation that the release task has been completed.

[0015] The gripping and release tasks can be confirmed as completed in a variety of ways. In one embodiment, a part presence sensor is used to detect the presence or absence of a part / workpiece in the vicinity of the gripper. The part presence sensor can be non-contact (e.g., inductive or capacitive) or of a different type. In another embodiment, camera images or data from other sensors (IR, LIDAR sensors, etc.) can be used to detect the presence of a part. The camera images or data from other sensors can also be used to directly detect gripper actuation (e.g., opening or closing of the fingers), and the grip / release response time is determined based on this data.

[0016] Other methods can be used to confirm that the gripping and releasing tasks have been completed. In the case of a servo-controlled gripper, the motor output may be limited to prevent part damage. By reading the position encoder of a servo motor, contact between the gripper and the part can be detected. The grip timer is stopped, and the time value is measured when the encoder stops moving due to contact resistance and limited motor torque. In the case of vacuum grippers, the pressure in the vacuum line(s) can be measured; a sharp drop in gauge pressure indicates that a part has been attached to a suction cup, and the time of the gauge pressure change is used to stop the grip timer.A combination of the grasp / release confirmation techniques discussed above can also be used, either as redundant confirmations or in a combined mode.

[0017] Regardless of the technique used to confirm that a grip or release command has been executed, grip response times and release response times can be used to monitor gripper health. Dropped part counts, along with grip / release response times, can also be recorded as an indication of gripper performance and gripper health.

[0018] Fig. Figure 4 is an illustration of a system for proactively monitoring the condition of robot end effectors based on the timing of response to gripping commands, according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. A robot system 400 includes a robot 402 and a controller 404, as previously discussed. Robot 402 is equipped with a gripper 406 to perform an action such as picking up a part and moving the part to a different position and a prescribed orientation. Gripper 406 is illustrated as a finger gripper, but could be any type of gripper used as an end effector, including servo-controlled mechanical grippers, single-cup grippers, and vacuum gripping tools. Gripper 406 is equipped with a part presence sensor (not shown), such as the one shown in Fig. 1 and as discussed throughout this disclosure.

[0019] Robot system 400 operates in a facility 430, such as a manufacturing facility or an assembly plant. A robot system 410 also operates in facility 430. A variety of other robot systems 412 typically also operate in facility 430. Robot systems 400, 410, and 412 are depicted as similar, but they may include a mix of different types of robots using different types of grippers for different tasks. Any combination of robot and gripper types may be employed.

[0020] Each of the robot systems 400, 410, and 412 can be configured to record and transmit gripper timing data as needed. Configuring each robot via the robot controller includes enabling or disabling the general gripper timing function and defining details such as the gripper ID, gripper name, I / O port labeling, and optionally defining timing thresholds that can be used to trigger a warning notification. When the gripper timing function is enabled, routines are executed in the robot controller's operating system (e.g., KAREL) to start and stop the timers based on signal changes (e.g., from a part presence sensor), as discussed above.

[0021] Robot systems 400, 410, and 412 all communicate with a data collection device 420. Data collection device 420 is typically a computer or server with a large data memory. The robot controllers of each of robot systems 400, 410, and 412 transmit their gripper timing data to data collection device 420 in real time or at regular intervals. For example, the robot controllers may transmit their gripper timing data to data collection device 420 after each grip and release event, or once per minute, or on some other basis with a suitably short cycle. In a preferred embodiment, the response times for each grip command and each release command are recorded by the robot controller and transmitted to data collection device 420.

[0022] The data collection device 420 collects gripper timing data for all robot systems in the facility 430, with the data collection device 420 and the robot systems 400, 410, and 412 typically all connected to a local area network operating in the facility 430. The connections may be hardwired, wireless, or a combination thereof.

[0023] The data collection device 420 transmits all gripper timing data for the robot systems 400, 410, and 412 to the data analysis center 440 at regular intervals. The data analysis center 440 is a data center "in the cloud" (accessible via the Internet) with one or more server computers and data storage capability. The data collection device 420 can transmit all of its gripper timing data to the data analysis center 440 when it is received, or every few minutes, every half hour, every hour, or at another suitable time interval. The gripper timing data is stored separately for each individual gripper, both in the data collection device 420 and in the data analysis center 440. The collection of the gripper timing data from the robot systems 400, 410, and 412 and the processing in the cloud-based data analysis center 440 constitutes an Internet of Things (IoT) type system.

[0024] The data analysis center 440 analyzes the gripper timing data for all grippers for which it has received data. The calculations performed in the data analysis center 440 for each gripper include determining maximum response times and calculating averages and trends over various time periods. In addition, various checks are performed regularly (e.g., hourly) to detect any problems related to gripper performance. These checks for detecting problems are described below with reference to Fig. 6. If problems are detected, one or more warning notifications 450 are sent to the data analysis center 440. The warning notifications 450 may include text messages and / or emails to key personnel within the plant 430, notifications to the individual robot controller associated with the gripper experiencing the problem, or other types of alerts and notifications. The purpose of the warning notifications 450 is to immediately notify the appropriate personnel that one or more grippers have performance issues that require attention.

[0025] The data analysis center 440 also provides summaries and statistics of the gripper timing data analysis to a web portal 460. The web portal 460 is a dedicated secure private website where plant 430 personnel with appropriate authentication can view the gripper timing data for all robot systems 400, 410, and 412. The web portal 460 provides the gripper timing data in the form of charts 470 (e.g., average gripper reaction times per hour or day). The web portal 460 also provides the gripper timing data in other suitable and useful forms, including tables, lists of averages and trends, etc. Furthermore, any outstanding issues are highlighted on the web portal 460.

[0026] Fig. 5 is a flowchart 500 of a method for proactively monitoring the state of robot end effectors based on the timing of response to grasp commands, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. The method of flowchart 500 directly corresponds to that described in Fig. 4 shown system.

[0027] At box 502, gripper timing data is recorded in the robot controller (e.g., controller 404) for the end effector (e.g., gripper 406) on the robot (e.g., robot 402). Generally, the gripping reaction time and the release reaction time for each gripping or release task are recorded by the robot controller using the various detection means discussed above. At box 504, the gripper timing data is collected in the data collection device 420. The timing data can be collected in real time for all robot grippers in a facility, as previously discussed. At box 506, the gripper timing data is sent from the data collection device 420 in the facility 430 to the data analysis center 440.

[0028] At box 508, calculations are performed on the gripper timing data in the data analysis center 440. The calculations can be performed hourly or at any other suitable time interval. The calculations are performed for each individual gripper, including determining maximum grip / release times, calculating average values ​​and trends over time, etc. Aggregated calculations for the entire plant can also be performed.

[0029] At decision diamond 510, it is determined whether any problems were detected in the gripper timing data. Details of the tests and determinations made at decision diamond 510 are described below with reference to Fig. 6. If problems exist (such as gripping times that exceed a threshold), warning notifications 450 are sent at box 512 to inform key personnel (plant manager, manufacturing engineer, robot operator, etc.) of the problems and the possible need for preventive maintenance.

[0030] At box 514, gripper timing data statistics are provided to the web portal 460 for viewing and editing by the customer. The gripper timing data on the web portal 460 may include charts and tables containing individual data points, averages, trends, peaks, etc. It also highlights gripper timing issues.

[0031] Thanks to the combination of the 450 alert notifications and the 460 web portal, key personnel at the 430 plant have all the information they need to proactively monitor the end effector condition. Preventive maintenance can then be performed efficiently and cost-effectively on any grippers where grip response times and / or release response times are slower than desired.

[0032] Fig. 6 is a flowchart 600 of a method for detecting problems with the condition of robot end effectors based on the analysis of data relating to the timing of response to grasping commands, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. The flowchart 600 includes the steps described above at decision diamond 510 of Fig. 5 described steps to check for problems.

[0033] The analysis and checking for problems with an individual gripper begin at starting point 602. The start of the analysis at starting point 602 can be triggered hourly or according to any other suitable schedule. In the line shown at 610, the presence of current timing data for the gripper is checked. At decision diamond 612, it is determined whether gripper timing data is missing, and if so, an appropriate result code value (1) is set at box 614. At decision diamond 616, it is determined whether the gripper timing data is out of date (for example, no new data in the past week), and if so, an appropriate result code value (2) is set at box 618.

[0034] In the row shown at 620, checks for slow current grip or release times are performed. At decision diamond 622, it is determined whether grip times exceed a threshold for the current analysis period (e.g., the last hour), and if so, a corresponding result code value (3) is set at box 624. At decision diamond 626, it is determined whether release times exceed a threshold for the current analysis period, and if so, a corresponding result code value (4) is set at box 628. Both individual grip / release times and the average grip / release time over the last hour can be checked at decision diamonds 622 and 626. The thresholds (e.g.,200 milliseconds) can be set by the robot operator during the configuration process described above, or the thresholds can be automatically calculated based on historical data (such as a certain percentage or number of standard deviations above the mean).

[0035] In the row shown at 630, checks are performed for slow predicted grasp or release times. At decision diamond 632, it is determined whether grasp times exhibit an upward trend such that grasp times are predicted to exceed the threshold in the near future. If, at decision diamond 632, an upward trend results in a long predicted grasp time, then a corresponding result code value (5) is set at box 634. At decision diamond 636, it is determined whether release times exhibit an upward trend such that release times are predicted to exceed the threshold in the near future. If, at decision diamond 636, an upward trend results in a long predicted release time, then a corresponding result code value (6) is set at box 638. The upward trend in grasp or release times may be in the current analysis period (e.g.the current hour's data), or the upward trend can be determined by comparing the average value of the current data with the historical average value.

[0036] At box 640, a result code value of 7 is set if multiple problems exist—that is, if more than one of the result codes 3 through 6 is set. Generally, lines 610, 620, and 630 are all executed during each analysis cycle. If data is missing or outdated at line 610, lines 620 and 630 are not executed. If none of the result codes 1 through 6 are set, the process proceeds to decision diamond 650, where a result code of 0 is set if no problems were detected.

[0037] Any non-zero result codes from flowchart 600 trigger a warning notification identifying the problem. Additionally, calculated data, such as hourly average grip and release times, are entered into a spreadsheet and made available on the web portal. Raw and summary data, as appropriate, are also made available on the web portal for viewing by plant personnel.

[0038] Other types of analysis can also be performed in steps 500 and 600 of flowcharts. For example, in the case of multi-zone vacuum grippers, gripping times and release times can be recorded, stored, and analyzed by zone. If a slow gripping time or inadequate gripping pressure is detected in a zone, the alert notification and portal entries will identify the gripper and the specific zone with the problem. Problems can also be detected and reported based on dropped part counts instead of grip / release times.

[0039] The data analysis center 440 is configured to receive data from many different assets in addition to the asset 430. In a typical arrangement, each robot customer (a company that uses robots to manufacture things) has multiple assets, each of which provides data to the analysis center 440. The data is managed by asset and customer so that it can be stored, displayed, and protected appropriately. This means that the web portal 460 is accessible only to the robot customer who owns the asset 430. Other robot customers whose data is processed in the data analysis center 440 have their own independent web portals for viewing the gripper timing data. Furthermore, the data analysis center 440 and the web portal 460 can be part of a larger integrated system for robot health prediction and preventive maintenance.

[0040] Throughout the foregoing discussion, various computers and controllers are described and assumed in connection with the disclosed methods and systems. It is understood that the software applications and modules of these computers and controllers execute on one or more computing devices having a processor and a memory module. These include, in particular, processors in the robot controllers 110 and 404, the data collection device 420, and the computer(s) in the data analysis center 440.Specifically, the processor in controllers 110 and 404 is configured to record gripper timing data and other performance data associated with the gripper on the robot, the processor in data collection device 420 is configured to receive the gripper data from the controllers and send the data to data analysis center 440, and the processors in the computer(s) in data analysis center 440 are configured to analyze the gripper status based on the timing data, send notifications of problems, and provide data on the web portal.

[0041] As discussed above, mechanical, servo-controlled, or vacuum grippers may fail to grip or release quickly enough due to age, overuse, lack of actuator lubrication, or low vacuum pressure due to leaks or worn suction cups. The disclosed methods for monitoring the health of robot end-effectors using gripper timing provide alerts and data that identify problems with a gripper as they begin to develop. Similar timing-based methods can be used to detect problems with other types of end-effectors. By identifying problems early, preventative maintenance can be performed before an end-effector fails, allowing robot customers to avoid costly production downtime and reduce the number of dropped and damaged parts.

[0042] While several exemplary aspects and embodiments of the methods for monitoring the condition of robot end-effectors based on gripper timing have been discussed above, those skilled in the art will recognize modifications, permutations, additions, and subcombinations thereof. Therefore, it is intended that the following appended claims and claims introduced hereafter be construed to include all modifications, permutations, additions, and subcombinations consistent with their true spirit and scope.

Claims

[1] Method for monitoring the gripper condition of an industrial robot, the method comprising: Recording, by a robot controller, of gripper response times for each gripping or releasing event of a gripper on the robot; Analyzing gripper response times using a computer with a processor and memory to provide analyzed gripper timing data; Identifying any anomalies in the gripper response times and the analyzed gripper timing data; Sending alert notifications about all detected problems; and Providing the gripper response times, the analyzed gripper timing data and all identified problems on a web portal for viewing by a robot operator. [2] Method according to claim 1, wherein the recording of gripper response times comprises recording the response times by the robot controller and providing the response times to a data collection device. [3] Method according to claim 2, wherein gripper response times for grippers on other robots are also provided by each of the controllers of the other robots to the data collection device and the gripper response times for all robots are transmitted by the data collection device to the computer. [4] Method according to claim 3, wherein the data collection device, the computer and the web portal also process other status data for all robots. [5] Method according to claim 1, wherein the reaction time for each grasping or releasing event is determined by starting a timer when a grasping or releasing command is issued by the robot controller, and stopping the timer when it is confirmed that a corresponding grasping or releasing has occurred. [6] Method according to claim 5, wherein the occurrence of a corresponding gripping or releasing is confirmed by a part presence sensor that detects the proximity of a part to the gripper, or by the analysis of signals from a camera or a sensor, wherein the signals represent a position of the part or of the gripper or of both. [7] Method according to claim 5, wherein the occurrence of a corresponding gripping or releasing is confirmed by evaluating a pressure signal from a vacuum line in the case of a vacuum or suction gripper or a signal from a motor torque or position sensor in the case of a servo-controlled gripper. [8] Method according to claim 1, wherein the analysis of the gripper response times comprises determining a maximum gripping time and a maximum release time for a current data analysis period, calculating an average gripping time and an average release time for the current data analysis period, and calculating a slope of a gripping time trend line and a slope of a release time trend line for the current analysis period. [9] Method according to claim 8, wherein the current data analysis period has a duration in the range of half an hour to four hours. [10] Method according to claim 8, wherein the identification of any anomalies comprises identifying missing or obsolete gripper response times, determining a maximum gripping time, a maximum release time, an average gripping time or an average release time that exceeds a threshold, and determining a slope of a gripping time trend line or a slope of a release time trend line that exceeds a trend line slope threshold. [11] Method according to claim 1, wherein the gripper on the robot is a mechanical finger gripper, a gripper driven by a servo motor, a single suction cup gripper or a vacuum gripping tool with a plurality of suction cups. [12] Method according to claim 11, wherein in the warning notifications in the case of a vacuum gripping tool one or more zones of suction cups are indicated where the detected problem is present. [13] Method according to claim 1, wherein sending warning notifications comprises sending one or more text messages, instant messages, emails and notifications to the robot controller. [14] Method for condition monitoring of an end effector on an industrial robot, the method comprising: Recording, by a robot controller, of response times for the beginning and end of each task performed by the end effector; Analyzing response times using a computer with a processor and memory to provide analyzed tool timing data; Identifying any anomalies in the response times and the analyzed tool timing data; Sending alert notifications about all detected problems; and Providing the response times, the analyzed tool timing data and all identified problems on a web portal for viewing by a robot operator. [15] Gripper condition monitoring system for industrial robots, the system comprising: one or more robots, each robot having a gripper as an end effector; a robot controller that communicates with each robot, each controller having a processor and memory set up to record gripper response times for each gripping or releasing event at the gripper on the robot; a data collection device that communicates with the robot controllers and receives the gripper response times for each of the robots; and a computer comprising a processor and a memory, wherein the computer receives the gripper response times from the data collection device at regular intervals, wherein the computer is configured to: Analyzing the gripper response times for each individual gripper to provide analyzed gripper timing data; Identifying any anomalies in the gripper response times and the analyzed gripper timing data for each individual gripper; Sending alert notifications about all detected problems; and Providing the gripper response times, the analyzed gripper timing data and all identified problems on a web portal for viewing by a robot operator. [16] System according to claim 15, wherein the data collection device, the computer and the web portal also process other status data for all robots. [17] System according to claim 15, wherein the reaction time for each grasping or releasing event is determined by starting a timer when a grasping or releasing command is issued by the robot controller, and stopping the timer when it is confirmed that a corresponding grasping or releasing has occurred. [18] System according to claim 17, wherein the occurrence of a corresponding gripping or releasing is confirmed by a part presence sensor that detects the proximity of a part to the gripper, or by the analysis of signals from a camera or a sensor, wherein the signals represent a position of the part or of the gripper or of both. [19] System according to claim 17, wherein the occurrence of a corresponding gripping or releasing is confirmed by evaluating a pressure signal from a vacuum line in the case of a vacuum or suction gripper or a signal from a motor torque or position sensor in the case of a servo-controlled gripper. [20] System according to claim 15, wherein the analysis of the gripper response times comprises determining a maximum gripping time and a maximum release time for a current data analysis period, calculating an average gripping time and an average release time for the current data analysis period, and calculating a slope of a gripping time trend line and a slope of a release time trend line for the current analysis period. [21] System according to claim 20, wherein the identification of any anomalies comprises identifying missing or obsolete gripper response times, determining a maximum gripping time, a maximum release time, an average gripping time or an average release time that exceeds a threshold, and determining a slope of a gripping time trend line or a slope of a release time trend line that exceeds a trend line slope threshold. [22] System according to claim 15, wherein the gripper on the robot is a mechanical finger gripper, a gripper driven by a servo motor, a single suction cup gripper or a vacuum gripping tool with a plurality of suction cups and wherein, in the case of a vacuum gripping tool, the warning notifications indicate one or more zones of suction cups where the detected problem is present.

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